Selling lifts Emeralds over Hematites with buzzer-beater

IHS boys run out of gas in season opener

December 19, 2012

MANISTIQUE - Senior Conner Selling sank a 15-foot shot from the baseline as time expired to lift Manistique to a 56-55 victory over Ishpeming in a boys basketball game played at the Emeralds' gym on Tuesday.

The game opened the season for Ishpeming, which postponed its first two weeks of action after winning the MHSAA Division 7 state football title and traveling to New York as victors of the Sports Illustrated Underdogs contest.

Manistique improved to 2-3 overall and 1-3 in the Mid-Peninsula Conference with the win.

Selling finished with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds. He gave himself his own chance with time running down, tipping a teammate's missed shot and hitting a fadeaway jumper that went through the net as the buzzer sounded.

The shot culminated a second-half comeback for the Emeralds, who trailed 32-24 at halftime and 49-45 after three quarters.

"I thought we played really well offensively in the first half," Ishpeming coach John Tiziani said. "But I think we got a little tired in the third quarter, this being our first game.

"We missed some opportunities, and we only made one basket in the fourth quarter. But the kids played as hard as they could, and I told them things will get better."

Nevertheless, the Hematites hit 6 of 14 on 3-pointers. They were led by junior Derek DeCaire with 22 points, including four 3s. Senior Cody Kugler added 12 points, while another senior, Joe Lyle, pulled down 16 rebounds while scoring eight points.

For Manistique, senior Zach Lambert scored 21 points, also making four 3s, while junior Tyler Kangas scored 13 points, including a trio of treys.